Chapter 20: Elite Talent - Savior! ...Fake? (Two in One)

They were all bizarrely muscular men with terrifyingly bulging muscles. There were also some Mechanical Cyborgs, their arms or legs gleaming with a metallic luster that exuded the unique aesthetic of machinery.

However, everyone here queued up obediently. No one dared to cause a commotion.

The little beauty at the reception desk had pale green skin, and her appearance perfectly aligned with human aesthetics. She had pointed ears, a tall and slender figure, and wore professional attire that was quite revealing—after all, the Tyron Chamber of Commerce was no decent place.

She wore a programmed smile, resembling the elves from Li Yu's past life.

This was an Enville. Due to their outstanding physical genetic traits, they were highly popular.

Waiting here out of sheer boredom, he observed his surroundings as the line slowly inched forward.

After waiting for about ten minutes, the line hadn't moved much, but the System Log suddenly refreshed.

[Day 8: After swallowing the red pill, you were overwhelmed with grief. Waking up in a daze, you found yourself surrounded by patrolling mechanical squids.

You jumped out, were captured fair and square, underwent the brainwashing procedure once again, and were stuffed back into the battery pod.

Your sheer power reminded Morpheus of someone—the Savior!]

[Acquired Elite Talent: Savior (Fake)]

'What the hell? Does Neo have nothing to do with this anymore? The route choices provided by the system are purely decorative, huh.'

'This won't do. Neo is the true Savior, enjoying all sorts of plot armor. My clone is just a clueless idiot with absolutely nothing.'

'If the Matrix didn't see him as a giant battery, they probably would have wiped him out long ago.'

"I hope the clone can grasp the situation and survive a few more days to earn me more rewards... The title of Savior is really not something you want to wear," Li Yu muttered, his expression moody.

"Scram!"

A burst of noisy shouting pulled Li Yu from his thoughts. Returning to his senses, he watched a group of people bypass the line entirely and march straight to the very front.

This group wore combat suits built with basic mechanical frameworks that resembled simple armor. Their backgrounds did not seem simple at all.

The person at the very front of the line was a muscular man, boasting a robust physique over two meters tall. Yet, he was shoved aside without daring to breathe a word of complaint, obediently scrambling out of the way.

"The Grey Blade Mercenaries... These guys are here again?"

Someone in the line whispered, clearly recognizing the group's origins.

"Word is they're here to snap Howler Gore's hundred-win streak."

Hunter lowered his voice. "This is a notorious mercenary group from the No Man's Land System. They take on all kinds of assassination, transport, and escort missions."

A thin yet lean figure stepped out from among the mercenaries. Draped in a grey robe, their face was obscured; only a pair of hands wearing grey gloves extended outward.

"I want to register as a fighter..." The voice was hoarse, making it impossible to distinguish gender.

The girl at the reception desk remained calm, flashing a programmed, sweet smile. "Respected guest, welcome to the Tyron Chamber of Commerce. According to the Tyron Code..."

"Skip it," the man stated concisely.

The girl immediately stopped, skipping over a massive wall of text, and continued, "Understood. Please confirm your name, strength rating, and whether you have a referrer."

"Grey Spear, E+ rank, no referrer."

"Understood. Your identity information has been registered. The strength test will be conducted shortly. As a distinguished E+ rank fighter, you are entitled to several privileges..."

"I want to challenge The Howler..." Grey Spear interrupted the receptionist once more.

"Understood, no problem. The request has been submitted to your Manager, who will arrange it for you."

The girl handed Grey Spear a transparent information card. From the hall, a dwarfish Goblin dressed in a well-fitted pale green suit trotted over with an excited expression, his two bulging black eyes looking incredibly fierce.

However, upon seeing Grey Spear, his face twisted into an ugly grimace, as if he had just eaten dung. "Oh, by the Goblin Gods, it's these grey-skinned mice again."

Grey Spear showed no reaction to this blatant insult, stepping into the hall under the Goblin's reluctant guidance.

The group of mercenaries followed right behind. This was a fighter's privilege—they were allowed to bring their own logistics team.

Only then did Hunter dare to speak a little louder. "The Grey Blade Squad frequently takes on commissions to come here and end people's winning streaks. The odds on those peripheral betting pools are staggering, so some people don't hesitate to use underhanded tricks."

"Does the Tyron Chamber of Commerce not care?" Li Yu asked, feeling a bit curious.

"The Bookmaker takes all. Besides, if The Howler reaches a hundred wins, the Tyron Chamber of Commerce will have to hand over a Citizenship, which is incredibly valuable."

"It's perfect for them if someone breaks the streak..."

Li Yu nodded thoughtfully and glanced at Hunter. "I didn't expect someone with your lack of strength to know so much."

Hunter was speechless. "..."

After the Grey Blade Squad left, the queue resumed. About forty or fifty minutes later, it was finally Li Yu's turn.

"Hello..." the receptionist girl smiled.

"Skip it," Li Yu mimicked. No one had the patience to listen to a reading of the Tyron Code that would take at least ten minutes.

"..."

"Li Yu, E+ rank, no referrer," Li Yu stated his basic information.

When Grey Spear had spoken earlier, there wasn't much of a reaction, but Li Yu's words caused a massive uproar.

Someone's eyes widened. "E+ rank? That little guy?"

"Look at his clothes, they aren't even dry yet. He must have just crawled out of some sewer."

The various oddly-shaped individuals waiting in line suddenly grew intrigued and chimed in one after another.

The Grey Blade Squad's arrogant attitude had left them thoroughly displeased, and they were in desperate need of an outlet to vent their frustrations.

E+ rank had already surpassed the realm of standard humanity. Explosive power, speed, and reflexes all ascended to a completely different tier of life.

Most creatures in interstellar space achieved E+ rank through cybernetic enhancement. Methods that didn't damage the physical body while still granting immense individual power all required profound backing and resources.

For paths like the Genetic Warrior, every single Gene Chain commanded astronomical prices, while those carrying Attribute Power were entirely priceless and unavailable on the open market.

As for Espers, it was purely a matter of luck. Perhaps one day, an S-rank Esper might just suddenly appear out of some obscure corner.

But this frail-looking guy didn't have a single trace of cybernetic enhancement on him. Dressed in tatters without a shred of fierce aura, he stared with dull, dead-fish eyes, looking like a harmless sheep—a lazy one, at that.

Someone raised a mechanical arm, its five claw-like metallic fingers flashing with a cold glint.

"Maybe he's just another freeloader coming here to scam a meal. There's a delay between submitting information and the strength test—plenty of time for him to eat his fill before he gets killed."

In truth, people like that weren't uncommon. Even though the Tyron Chamber of Commerce employed astonishingly cruel methods to deal with them, there were always those willing to satisfy their hunger one last time before death.

The receptionist girl, however, treated everyone equally. Showing no extra reaction, she simply handed him his identity card.

"Oh, by the Goblin Gods, thank goodness it's not another grey-skinned mouse." Another Goblin walked out of the hall, letting out a sigh of relief upon seeing Li Yu.

Although he was also wearing a pale green suit and had eyes that were practically popping out of his skull, his body shape indicated he was clearly a different Goblin from the earlier one.

He rubbed his hands together excitedly and glared fiercely at the crowd waiting in line.

"A bunch of trash! What are you all shouting about?!" he yelled directly at the queue, managing to suppress some of the noise.

Li Yu didn't react much. He merely cast a sidelong glance at the eight massive characters written in various interstellar languages across the hall: 'Fighting Prohibited, Violators Will Be Expelled'.

The merciful Tyron Chamber of Commerce had saved their lives.

"Sir Manager, it hasn't even been confirmed that he's an E+ rank yet," scoffed someone who didn't care. Their strength had already stepped into the initial E-rank threshold, and their mechanical arm gleamed with cold light.

He had traded his own wife and daughter to afford this enhancement, barely allowing him to reach E- rank.

"Even if he isn't, this gentleman's courage far surpasses yours. Would any of you dare to do the same?"

It had to be said, this Goblin's art of conversation was quite tactful. He simultaneously praised Li Yu and belittled the crowd, providing a justification that left no room for counterargument.

Then, he stretched his mouth into a wide grin, revealing a row of savage teeth. "Come with me. I am your Manager and will be handling your affairs."

Hunter, Mo Duo, and Claptrap followed Li Yu into the hall. The interior was incredibly spacious, adorned everywhere with colored glass decorations.

"And these individuals are..." the Goblin probed tentatively, his gaze lingering for a moment on Mo Duo's green eyes.

"My..." Li Yu paused. Mo Duo turned her head away, concealing the expectation in her eyes.

Hunter pulled down the brim of his hat, while the Goblin glanced up at the eyes darting wildly beneath it. Claptrap's worn-out wheels spun endlessly in place.

"...servants."

Hunter stumbled and nearly fell over. Mo Duo's face darkened with invisible lines of frustration, and she gnashed her teeth.

Claptrap, on the other hand, let out a joyful cheer. "Hooray! We are the Master's servants!"

'We? Who exactly is this 'we'?'

Mo Duo glared fiercely at this artificial idiot, feeling a sense of utter powerlessness.

The Goblin was also rendered somewhat speechless. After a moment of silence, he finally introduced himself, "My name is Gugu. For the coming period, I have the following arrangements planned."

"First, we'll come up with a hyper-violent nickname. Then, we'll design a signature pose. After that, I'll arrange a few low-level opponents for you to build up your reputation."

"Then we'll gradually raise the difficulty of your matches to thoroughly cement your fame. In less than fifty fights, I guarantee you'll become the ultimate cash cow of the Tyron Chamber of Commerce."

Gugu was truly a professional. He knew all the tricks of the trade like the back of his hand, clearly mapping out the entire plan in just a few sentences.

At this point, Gugu stopped walking. He straightened his suit and looked up at Li Yu with his two massive eyes. "However, all of this is built on one condition: you must genuinely be an E+ rank."

If it turned out to be a bluff, he would ensure the imposter learned exactly what the wrath of a Goblin felt like.

Li Yu's expression remained indifferent as he casually nodded.

His Lounge was nearby. Gugu used Li Yu's identity card to unlock the door. The heavy metal doors slid open, revealing a minimalist yet spacious interior.

The room was temporarily assigned to him. Only when his strength rating was officially confirmed would it truly become his.

Outside, in the line, several people pulled out their Smart Devices and uploaded a few messages. If anyone had been able to peek at their screens, they would have seen that the image displayed on their Smart Devices was none other than Li Yu's face.

The man with the mechanical arm reported his information to the receptionist girl. "Hook Fang, E- rank. Referrer: Great Waves."

Thorn Flame was considered a top-tier faction within the Black Market, primarily due to the mysterious bigshot backing them.

After Old Glutton issued his command, all the Thorn Flame operatives active in the Black Market received their orders.

It didn't take long for them to receive the news.

"...Registering as a fighter for the Tyron Chamber of Commerce. This guy had it planned from the very beginning..."

The four leaders gathered in a third-floor room, holding yet another meeting solely because of Li Yu.

And this almost certainly confirmed that Li Yu truly had no powerful backing. Otherwise, he wouldn't have resorted to becoming a gladiator to secure the Tyron Chamber of Commerce's protection.

The woman hid her mouth behind a pink fan, teasing him. "Third Brother, I always told you to eat less, but you never listened. Look at you now. Your belly has swollen up, but your brain seems to have shriveled in exchange."

"Sister, stop making fun of me," Third Fatty smiled bitterly, firing back a veiled sarcastic retort.

"Who are you calling old?!" Sure enough, the woman instantly flared up in anger, slamming her hand on the table and shouting.

"Enough!" Old Glutton was thoroughly enraged. His most capable subordinate had just been killed, and these idiots were still here arguing over trivial matters.

After a moment, he reined in his emotions and turned to ask, "Boss, do we still have any fighters inside the Tyron Chamber of Commerce?"

"We do, but they are part of The Lord's arrangements. If we want to mobilize them, we must get The Lord's permission first," Old Ghost shook his head. His eyes then flashed with a subtle light as he offered some feigned advice.

"Second Brother, it's just a subordinate. It's not worth paying too high a price. Why don't we just let this go? Taking a small loss isn't always a bad thing."

It would have been better if he had stayed silent. The moment the words left his mouth, Old Glutton's rage erupted. "He's just a filthy Scavenger! What gives him the right to make me suffer a loss?!"

"I am Old Glutton! The entire live transplant market of Heavenly Desolation Star is in the palm of my hand!"

Old Ghost's expression darkened slightly, and he fell into deep thought. "I heard that the Vice-Captain of the Grey Blade Squad took a commission to come and end The Howler's winning streak. Why don't we seek him out and see what he can do?"

"The Grey Blade Squad doesn't come cheap. Even if it's a job on the side, they won't accept anything less than five million," the woman pointed out, tapping her fingers against the table.

Old Glutton frowned. Five million... That price...

Seeing Old Glutton fall silent, Old Ghost immediately shot a glance at Third Fatty. "Third Brother, you aren't completely innocent in this matter either. Aren't you going to do something to help your Second Brother out?"

Sensing Old Glutton's gaze swinging toward him, Third Fatty cursed inwardly. However, he maintained a wide smile on the surface. "Of course, of course. I'll split the mercenary fee evenly with Second Brother."

Old Glutton's expression eased significantly, and he gave Third Fatty a nod of approval.

'Damn it, I just shelled out over two million, and all I get is a single nod?!' Third Fatty raged furiously in his heart. 'And the Boss even stole some of the credit for that favor!'

'I'm the one fronting the cash, so why are they treating it like it's my damn duty?!'

...

"The Slicer... This nickname is pretty good. It sounds incredibly violent right off the bat."

Mo Duo shook her head, rejecting Hunter's suggestion. "Forget it. I think 'The Punisher' has a much better ring to it."

"Claptrap thinks the title 'Master, Universally Invincibly Handsome' is a fantastic choice."

Li Yu's eyes lit up. Expressing his profound praise for Claptrap's proposal, he gave the robot a thumbs-up.

"I'll certainly take that into consideration..."

"Yahoo! The Master is the best!" Claptrap spun in place, cheering happily.